Pakistan: Women urged to condemn Iraqi abductors

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned the kidnapping of two French journalists by terrorists in Iraq and urged Muslim women to raise their voice against such attacks.

"It is important that Muslim women around the world make it clear that the militants guilty of barbarianism in Iraq do not represent them," said a statement issued by the commission.

"They should make it absolutely clear that these insurgents do not speak for their political and religious concerns. Their actions have already tarnished the image of Islam and threaten to inflict still more damage in the future."

The journalists, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, were kidnapped last month by a Sunni Muslim group called the Islamic Army of Iraq. The group has demanded that France repeal the controversial law that disallows Muslim women from wearing head scarves. The law also bans other outward signs of religious affiliation in French public schools and is scheduled to take effect this week. Despite the terrorists' threats, French officials have asserted that the law will stand.

"It is time that Muslims around the world dissociate themselves from the acts of such militants," said the HRCP statement. [...].